the winner is....

Random number generator selected #4.
Congratulations Jerralea.

email me at twostrawberrygirls (at) gmail (dot) com with your address and I'll drop that in the mail to you.

Thank you to those of you who left encouraging words for my blogiversary, I really appreciate it.

I hope to do more give-aways in the future.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...May 25, 2009...Memorial Day

Outside my window... the sun is just coming up.

I am thinking... about Memorial Day.

From the learning rooms...evaluations, year end assessments, summer reading selections.

I am thankful for...my freedom, and the fact that someone was willing to fight for it.

From the kitchen...homemade granola, lasagna, meatloaf, spaghetti squash with pesto, not necessarily in this order and not all in the same meal.

I am wearing...a life is good t-shirt with capris

I am reading...Baby Island.

I am hoping...to slow down for a couple of weeks.

I am creating...a market bag, like this one, that I am giving away (go check it out and leave a comment to enter), and a knitted baby hat for a sweet new baby boy.

I am praying...for the military families who have lost loved ones in service.

Around the house...cleaning, yard work and garden work, if there is anything left of my garden, rough weather last week.

One of my favorite things...chocolate underground yogurt with walnuts and shredded coconut, yum.

A few plans for the rest of the week...a concert with friends, a spring football game (moved from last week), and nothing else is scheduled:)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...talent show audition...they made it, the two gentlemen in the middle belong to me.

Thank You Peggy for hosting the Simple Woman's Daybook. You may click the link to visit Peggy and others.

First Blogiversary

One year ago today I began this blog as a way to send information to our family and friends while we took a 5 week trip starting here. It was fun and I soon realized I could manage this much easier than pictures and scrapbooking. While I still want to create those memories, in the form of a scrapbook, it is my hope to have this space printed and bound for them also. Life happens so fast, unless someone is journaling, all the small day to day activities become a blur. I do not want that to happen, I want them to remember what daily life was like at our house. As a side note, I have met some really neat people in this space, who knew?

In honor of my first blogiversary ~ let's make it another first. In a random drawing giveaway a market bag similar to the one pictured, color subject to change, will bless someone. Yours will not arrive quite as long, unless of course you carry a watermelon in it when you go to market. The eight year old pictured here was so excited to use it, why not haul a watermelon in it. A lady in my knitting group did some research, before she made hers, and found recommendations for adding a "stabilizing" yarn in as it is crocheted. I will make this improvement to the one that I give away so, when you put a watermelon in it, it will not grow to this length. Please leave a comment on this post and feel free to pass along the information. Comments will close Tuesday night.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 18, 2009
Outside My Window...
it is raining, Praise the Lord. We have been praying for rain, I love answered prayer.

I am thinking...
how tired I am. I have been up most of the night with a big kid that is very ill. He has been dry-heaving since 4am.

I am thankful for...
healthy children. In spite of a stomach virus that has been in our house for 18 days now, I do have healthy children. It takes about 3 minutes of looking around to know I have nothing to complain about, even though I am very tired.

From the learning rooms...
a break. Kind of a strange time to take a break but, with so much sickness and end of the year happenings, this is why I home-educate.

From the kitchen...
apple juice, bananas, toast and I don't know what else. After a long break I have gone back to a thyroid diet. I could no longer function where I was and things had to change.

I am wearing...
jammies. At this point I plan to take a shower and put on clean ones.

I am creating...
sock number 2, a pair is necessary.

I am going...

to an Orchestra recital, a spring football game and a dentist appointment.

I am reading...

Baby Island with my girls for bookclub, they love it.

I am hoping...

Hannah is spared the stomach virus.

I am hearing...

rain! I think I will be able to open the window for a couple of days.
Around the house...laundry, bleach and lysol!

One of my favorite things...

rain after a drought. Blueberries fresh picked. I make the call today to see if they are ready. The rain we have had over the weekend should have plumped them up.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

Rest and recovery. It is the very last week of normal children activities and everyone is looking forward to a break. Summer plans have been set and while it will have it's own "busyness" it is in the form of fun. The boys that are taking Spanish are even having fun. Buenos dias!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...6 out of the 7 of us have looked like this in the past 18 days. May Hannah be blessed and not get the stomach virus.

Thank you for stopping by. Visit Peggy @ The Simple Woman to read more Daybooks or create one of your very own. Thank you Peggy for helping me start my week with reflection and simplicity, I need that.

"my stomach hurts"

As May continues, I must say, the end can not get here soon enough. We began the month with the flu and, nearly half way through, it is still here. I do not do sickness well and when the illness lingers, I cope even less. It is a real blessing that my children are all old enough to "know it is coming" and make it to the toilet. Please take yourself there and then call for me.


Summer school has begun for the oldest two. A bit more relaxed than regular semesters, our summer will be full of Spanish. I hope you will be able to read these posts once my conversational Spanish resurfaces. (fear not, this should not be a problem)

For now...a Sports Banquet.

A 4-H Banquet.

One more week of spring football and a game.

An end of the year concert for orchestra.

A Children's Choir performance at church.

Wow, it has indeed been a busy year.

Summer simply can't get here soon enough!

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...May 11, 2009

Outside my window...

I am watching a deer graze in my yard. It is so dry the forest animals are leaving the forest in search of green grass (none of which you will find in our yard).

I am thinking...
I wish we had a sprinkler system. I am also thinking about the very busy week Dad has scheduled this week and wondering how many more people need to be added to the schedule.

I am thankful...
that I did not commit to the field-trip that I wanted to do this morning. Caleb began throwing-up yesterday. I hope this is the same virus that was in our house last week. I do not think I can do this again already. So far he has done the most vomiting.

From the learning rooms...
a 4-H poster. maybe and end of the year "stuff" continues. The oldest two are enrolled in college and know what their fall semester will look like. Once again the dynamics of family and school will shift and change.

From the kitchen...
lasagna, steak, homemade granola, and I'm not sure what else. We are working our way to the bottom of the freezer, it needs to be inventoried so meals can be planned and a market date determined.

I am wearing...
denim capris and a t-shirt

I am creating...
a photo collage for my husbands office.

I am going...
to a 4-H Banquet,

I am reading...
Philippians.

I am hoping...
Caleb is the very last person to get the flu in our house.

I am hearing...
silence, all children are still sleeping.

Around the house...
more bleaching, and catching up from last week. The laundry is piled high.

One of my favorite things...
the beach. We spent an hour and a half there last night with friends. It was so wonderful. I am in desperate need of a beach summer and I hope this is an indication that this will be one.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
4-H Banquet, end of the year Children's Choir performance, and maybe so see the African Children's Choir perform. I have seen them before and they are great. Summer school starts for my college students, spring football continues. Orchestra is winding down. Next Monday is the final concert of the year.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
This picture was taken from inside my house this morning. I was watching this deer graze. Please visit Peggy to read more Daybooks, or join the fun and create one of your own.

Mother's Day Giveaway

Click the button in the sidebar and check out what these ladies will be blessing someone with. How can you pass up a chance at that mini computer or the Coach purse? Go ahead, you know you want to, there are some really great prizes!

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 4, 2009...

Outside my window...a pink sunrise is just under way, the first one of the season.

I am thinking...it is too early, in the season, for the weather to be this warm. And, we desperately need rain.

I am thankful...that some stomach viruses, last only 24 hours.

From the learning rooms...scrapbooks, math and assessments continue.

From the kitchen...I don't know yet. Still waiting to see if anyone else gets sick and how I am going to do preparing food.

I am wearing...jammies, the suns just coming up.

I am creating...socks and one will be finished today. An apron, a gift for a birthday girl whose party Hannah missed while I was in bed.

I am going...nowhere unnecessary and nowhere quickly.

I am reading...??nothing just for fun at this time.

I am hoping...to scrapbook with the children and work on a quilt, although I should be making Mother's Day gifts. (and for RAIN)

I am hearing...Jacob on viola.

Around the house...the garden needs tending, the children need tending, and regular maintenance seems like such a chore when the earth is SO dry.

One of my favorite things...looking at family photos and remembering. One year ago all activities were in preparation for a 5 week vacation we took. This week I have been reading the beginning of my blog and looking through "my pictures" on the computer, remembering how wonderful it was. We spent a whole week in New York City...I want to go back.

A few plans for the rest of the week: rest and only the essential things will get done. Maybe register number two son for college classes, end of the year sports banquet, knitting, and extra praying on Thursday, May 7 for the National Day of Prayer.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...the girls doing the Chicken Dance on top of the dugout at the local minor league baseball team. This was great family entertainment at a great price. Hoping to do this again before the weather is too warm.

Visit Peggy to read more Simple Woman's Daybooks or to create one of your very own.

20 of My Favorite Things

1. Color-yellow

2. Dessert-raspberry cheesecake (my mom's)

3. Smell-sheets off the clothesline

4. Flower-daisy

5. Animal-bunny

6. Month-October

7. Beverage-coffee

8. Pair of shoes-currently...mary-janes

9. Snack-currently...cream cheese and pepper jelly with wheat-thins

10. Song-currently...In Christ Alone

11. Book-currently...??

12. Fruit-fruit salad

13. Hairstyle-curls

14. Piece of clothing-lounge pants

15. Store to clothes shop-thrift store

16. Season-currently Summer

17. Hobby-hand quilting and knitting

18. Thing to collect-silverware

19. Movie-Love Comes Softly

20. Restaurant-Makotos

Join Peggy here and play along!

everyday things

Much has gone on in life as we know it here.
We have completed phase I of the office make-over and it looks great. Phase II will be to finish the mountain of paperwork that must be done and phase III will be the bathroom. It does not seem possible it has been 8 years since moving into this location. We are so pleased with the outcome and happy that Dad has a wonderful space.
My birthday was Friday and after a meeting in the morning my wonderful husband took me to a favorite lunch establishment (from our first year of marriage).
Jacob is set for his next year of school, hopeful to graduate from High-school with an AA degree. We had a great meeting with his academic advisor and she was very encouraging that he could accomplish this.
Friday night late I came down with a stomach virus. Yep, it was by far the worst one I have ever had. Thankfully, no one else in my house has started and oh...I hope no one else does.
Monday ended our baseball season and Friday spring football began.
I am not sure how so few posts made it into this space for April, other than to say, I must be way too busy. I'm not sure how this can be since May is typically our busiest month. That should scare me for sure. Hoping to work on an April re-cap over the next week to post.
In honor of my first blogiversary I hope to do my first give-away. That sounds fun, hope you will participate.
I am still very weak and so off to rest for awhile.